NFL Betting – Ravens are Ready to Roll

by Dirty on July 24, 2012

The biggest concern that Baltimore Ravens fans had during this off-season was whether or not running back Ray Rice would report to training camp or hold out. But if you listen to Ray Rice and quarterback Joe Flacco talk, you get the impression that contract issues are not going to keep these two players out of the lineup for this season. Rice has signed a big, multi-year deal and Flacco has said that he is confident he will get the contract extension he needs to keep him in Baltimore.

However, the best online betting sites are still a bit concerned at the story of safety Ed Reed. Reed has made no bones about his intention to hold out to get a good contract and he has stated several times that he will retire before he reports to camp without a new deal. The football betting sites know that Reed is getting a little older, but he is still one of the best defensive backs in all of football, and the Ravens will need him.

Offense

Flacco enters his fourth season as the Ravens’ quarterback and he has a full compliment of weapons around him. With running back Ray Rice signed and ready to go, the Ravens can add its powerful running game to an offensive attack that includes weapons such as wide receiver Anquan Boldin. But there are still some nagging questions the Ravens will have to address if it wants to win the AFC North title.

The biggest nagging problem the online sports betting experts can see is the Baltimore offensive line. Baltimore should have one of the best offensive lines in football, but inconsistent offensive line play could jeopardize a Super Bowl run this year.

Defense

Linebacker and defensive leader Ray Lewis will be back in 2012 and he will head up a defensive team that is impressive from all angles. But the potential lack of Ed Reed in the lineup and the loss of Terrell Suggs to a season-ending injury is going to hurt the defense.

A betting sites review of the 2012 draft shows that the Ravens picked up promising rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw in the first round. It is possible that Lewis will personally groom Upshaw to be the new defensive leader of the future. But for 2012, things do not look so good in Baltimore.

Outlook

Fans could have more confidence in the Ravens’ chances if there were not so many questions on defense. The other problem for the Ravens is that division rival Pittsburgh is gearing up for a big year. While Baltimore fans are hoping that the Ravens can feed off of last year’s success, the reality is that it may not be quite that easy in 2012.

Click here for more information on the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl odds.